A former UN official claims his warnings of a coming calamity were stifled by a UN bureaucracy intent on keeping good relations with Zimbabwe’s dictator, Robert Mugabe. In the 11 months between August 2008 and July of last year, nearly 100,000 Zimbabweans came down with cholera in the first countrywide epidemic of the disease in modern history. Previous outbreaks in Zimbabwe, which have occurred annually since 2003, had affected only pockets of the country. This time, cholera was everywhere. Corpses filled the streets and hospital beds. In some districts early in the crisis, half of those infected died. It was a tragedy in every way – not least because the worst might have been prevented. Months before the initial outbreak exploded into a full-blown epidemic, Georges Tadonki, who headed the United Nations’ humanitarian office in Zimbabwe at the time, says he warned his superiors of the severe risk, suggesting to the UN country director, Agostinho Zacarias, that 30,000 cases or more were possible. But Zacarias stifled that warning, Tadonki claims.

Marion, Illinois – Until recently, people here had little reason to know the name John A. Bredenkamp or anything about his past, a tale worthy of a James Bond villain, filled with allegations of international arms deals, blood diamond trades and ties to despotic regimes in his native Africa. Bredenkamp had visited Marion just once, nine years ago, to look over the Bermuda grass fairways and 96 sand bunkers at the Kokopelli Golf Club he was about to buy. He flew out the same day. A low-profile owner, he sold the course to a Florida group in 2006. He kept only a right to split future profits if the course sold again, his one tenuous tie to this Southern Illinois city. His name might have been forgotten, except for what took place two years later. “It’s just so absurd,” said Fritz Archerd of Gainesville, Fla., head of the group that bought the course from Bredenkamp. “And it’s all because of him.”Marion, Illinois – Until recently, people here had little reason to know the name John A. Bredenkamp or anything about his past, a tale worthy of a James Bond villain, filled with allegations of international arms deals, blood diamond trades and ties to despotic regimes in his native Africa. Bredenkamp had visited Marion just once, nine years ago, to look over the Bermuda grass fairways and 96 sand bunkers at the Kokopelli Golf Club he was about to buy. He flew out the same day. A low-profile owner, he sold the course to a Florida group in 2006. He kept only a right to split future profits if the course sold again, his one tenuous tie to this Southern Illinois city. His name might have been forgotten, except for what took place two years later. “It’s just so absurd,” said Fritz Archerd of Gainesville, Fla., head of the group that bought the course from Bredenkamp. “And it’s all because of him.”

VIENNA: Austrian government officials are up in arms over the issue of housing Nigerian and other African asylum seekers, with the government saying no village or city can be found to build a third asylum center for refugees.

BAE Systems is to pay up to $450m (£288m) in fines after it pleaded guilty to false statements and accounting practices, notably over deals with Saudi Arabia and Tanzania, in a landmark settlement between the defence giant and the US and UK authorities.

The Serious Fraud Office also dropped proceedings last night against Count Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly, who was charged with making illegal payments to government officials to win jet deals for BAE just last week.

Diplomats and analysts believe that the mile-long runway is intended for arms shipments, probably from China, for which troops loyal to President Robert Mugabe would pay on the spot with gemstones from the Chiadzwa diamond mines.

A Zimbabwean magistrate, Samuel Zuze, has been exposed in what counts as one of Zimbabwe’s most blatant cases of judicial malpractice and fraud after he presided over a farm dispute in which he is a direct beneficiary, with an offer letter entitling him to one third of the disputed farm.

Zimbabwe is not known for spending its meagre resources in the right places, at least not until the formation of the unity government. The military is replete with hardware and supplies, while other sectors of government go by on a pittance. The health sector is heavily underfunded, and civil servants poorly paid, while warehouses suffocate with teargas and polished military hardware. IA

Nonprofit groups that specialize in investigative reporting have had some big scoops, cracking the front page of such newspapers as The Washington Post and forcing officials out of their jobs. Now the question is whether these organizations can stay afloat on donations.

Informanté investigations this week revealed that 30 travelers, including some in London, Sao Paolo, Dubai and Kinshasa-N´Djili Airport bought tickets on the black market from an unregistered vendor and flew Air Namibia and South African Airways in December 2009. Those who benefitted from the fraudulent ticket sales include medical doctors, civil servants and various suspected drug dealers.

HARARE— London-based mining company, African Consolidated Resources (ACR) has expressed fears that the Zimbabwe government may proceed with the auctioning of disputed diamonds mined from the company’s deposits.